Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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447. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the regulatory system for counselling and psychotherapy services; the qualification standards required for employment in the health service; the advice available from his Department for members of the public who are seeking quality assurance and appropriate qualification standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44345/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Counselling and psychotherapy services are provided both as an enhancement of the range of services available to people at primary care level and to support basic mental health services. Effective psychotherapy and counselling offer a range of interventions that are designed to empower the service user to understand, transform and cope with those vulnerabilities and problems that give rise to their mental health difficulties.

Under Section 22 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE has the authority to appoint persons to be its employees and may determine their duties. This includes the appointment of persons to posts within the counselling and psychotherapy area. The HSE's website sets out the eligibility criteria for appointment to counsellor positions in the health service, including qualifications, experience and other requirements.

Counsellors and psychotherapists are not currently subject to professional statutory regulation. Similar to other practitioners, they are, however, subject to legislation including consumer and competition legislation, and contract and criminal law. The first stage in the process of applying the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to counsellors and psychotherapists, involving a detailed consultation with the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, is currently under way.